On the covered Kenmore window air conditioner, with or without heater, HS means a failed air outlet temperature sensor, the sensor that reads the air leaving the unit. First, unplug the air conditioner before opening anything. Then: look at the harness connections on the control board and the board for damage, and check the outlet sensor's wires for a pinch or a break. A defective sensor is replaced.
Differential
Likely causes of “Kenmore window air conditioner, with or without heater code HS”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
The sensor in the outlet air has failed (HS)
What separates it HS appears and the unit cycles oddly or shuts off
How to confirm Look at the sensor behind the louvres at the front
- 2
A louvre or grille that blocks the airflow
What separates it The vanes are bent or packed with dust
How to confirm Straighten the vanes and clear the grille
- 3
A front panel that is not seated
What separates it The panel was refitted after cleaning
How to confirm Check that it clips in fully
- 4
A sensor wire pinched by the panel
What separates it The wire is squeezed at the edge
How to confirm Free the wire and check its insulation
- 5
A control board that misreads a good sensor
What separates it The sensor tests well
How to confirm Replace the board last
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- That HS appears when the unit cycles or at start-up
- Whether the unit is cooling the room at all
- Whether the louvres move freely and the front panel is seated
- The model number and date of manufacture from the label
Try in this order
0 of 8 completedWhat to do first
ReversibleUnplug the air conditioner before opening anything.
Correct only the documented fault domain
ReversibleLook at the harness connections on the control board and the board for damage, and check the outlet sensor's wires for a pinch or a break. A defective sensor is replaced.
Look at the louvres
ReversibleMove the vanes by hand and make sure that none is bent, stuck or packed with dust.
Check the front panel
ReversibleSwitch off, unplug and remove the front panel. Refit it and make sure that it clips in evenly all round.
Find the outlet sensor
ReversibleIt sits in the airflow behind the louvres, with a thin wire running along the case to the control board.
Follow the wire
ReversibleLook for a pinch under the panel edge, a nick in the insulation or a plug that has worked loose.
Compare the display with the vent
ReversibleIf the unit has a display, compare the air temperature that it shows with what you feel at the vent.
Replace the sensor if it fails
ReversibleWith a free airflow and a sound wire, a new outlet sensor is the repair.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- The code on this page
- HS, a failed air outlet temperature sensor, the sensor that reads the air leaving the unit.
- Parts involved
- The air outlet sensor, its wires and the control board.
- Source
- Sears PartsDirect's table for Kenmore window air conditioners.
- What the air outlet sensor does
- The air outlet sensor reads the temperature of the air leaving the unit, and the control compares that reading with the room setting to decide how long to run. A failed sensor gives the control a false picture, so the unit may cycle strangely or shut down.
- Clues from the room
- An outlet sensor code is more likely if the unit has been cooling unevenly or cycling on and off. Check that nothing blocks the louvres and that the front panel is seated, since a displaced panel can disturb the sensor wire.
- Reading the air that leaves the unit
- The outlet sensor tells the control how cold the air leaving the unit is, and the control compares that with the room temperature to decide when to cycle. The sensor sits in the airflow behind the grille, and a grille that has been knocked out of line can pull it away from its place.
- A display that disagrees with your hand
- On a unit with a digital display, the outlet sensor can also feed the displayed air temperature. If cold air is pouring from the vent and the display claims otherwise, the sensor reading is wrong, and that points the technician at the sensor and its wire.
- Ask about the wire route
- The sensor wire runs through the cabinet to the control board, and a wire pinched when the front panel was refitted is a classic cause. Ask the technician to check the route before replacing the sensor.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !Check the panel and the louvres before ordering a sensor, since a pinched wire is the usual cause
- !If HS returns with a free louvre and a sound wire, replace the sensor
- !Do not run the unit with the front panel off
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Exact questions
Common questions
What does HS mean on a Kenmore window air conditioner, with or without heater?+
a failed air outlet temperature sensor, the sensor that reads the air leaving the unit.
Can the front panel cause HS?+
Yes, a panel that is not seated can pinch the sensor wire.
Where is the outlet sensor?+
In the airflow behind the louvres at the front of the unit.
Is it the same as CS or ES?+
No, it is the third of the three sensors on the unit.
Is the sensor expensive?+
It is an inexpensive part.